Alarm device



n. A, GILLEN sept; 1s, 1930.

. ////7/,//////// /y 7 W4 7 i. E f, Z e .vm ll Rg M Onm .R .m w wf ZY. 7 as y a M 3 Z ..3 lllll 7 ..u @w ,5 2 m 7 WITNESSES Patented Sept. 16, 1930 PATENT FFICE DANIEL A. GILLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ALA-RMI DEVICE Application filed February 1, 1930. Serial No. 425,276.

This invention relates to alarm devices;`

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide in combination with an alarm device, means for discharging material in conjunction with the actuation of the alarm device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an alarm device including a casing, adapted to receive a cartridge and a springurged firing pin for the cartridge, together with a container arranged for fracture bythe discharge of the cartridge whereby the sound of the explosion will provide an alarm and the fracturing ofthe container will provide for the dissemination of gas or liquid whereby the device may be used as a fire extinguisher or to provide burglar protection.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in combination with a cartridge and cont-ainer adapted to be fractured therewith, a separate alarm means associated by cables or the like, whereby it will be operated at a distant point simultaneously with the eX- plosion of the cartridge.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide in a device of the charaeter described, thermal means whereby the same will be automatically operated by heat.

Other important objects of the presentr invention include the novel combination and interrelation of parts, whereby the whole forms a novel, simple and improved devicel wellV adapted to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

`Other objects of the present invention wil] be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which l Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the present invention, f

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the preferred embodimentk of the inventionv as here illustrated, includes a body 10, which constitutes a chamber within which a firing pin 11 is longitudinally movable. Within the chamber there is provided a coil spring 12, which surrounds the firing pin, its upper end bearing against the upper end of the chamber, while its lower end bears against a washer 18 connected to the firing pin by a suitable nut 14 adjacent its lower end. The lower end of the chamber is reduced as at 15 to provide a cartridge re-.

.forms a seal therefor. Thereceptacle 17 is supported on the bottom of a protecting wire screen 18, which is secured from the body 10 Vby a connecting screw 19.

From the foregoing,rit will be vseen that when the firing pin 11 is released in a mannex` hereinafter to be described, the spring 12 urges the pin downwardly whereby it contacts with the cartridge 16 to detonate the same. The explosion of the cartridge drives the wads therefrom into the receptacle which is fractured by the explosion, thus disseminating the fluid of the receptacle at the time of the explosion.

By this construction it will be seen that the device is adapted for use as a combined fire extinguisher and fire alarm. rllhe fiuid in the bottle in such case will be suitable fire extinguishing fluid and the explosion of the cartridge will provide an alarm at the same ktime the fluid puts out the fire.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it may be preferable to suspend the device by a link construction, whereby the recoil of the cartridge will act to swing the device so that the fluid will be completely delivered and scattered over a wide area. As shown in Fig. 2, the fluid in the receptacle is preferably provided with an easily fracturable plug, such as paraiiin, indicated at 20. thus evaporation of the fluid is prevented and sealing of the receptacle by the cartridge need not be relied upon to prevent such evaporation.

This construction also provides for the use of the device as a burglar alarm. rihe release of the firing pin will cause an explosion which will frighten the burglar, and, at the same time, give a general alarm. In such case, the fluid within the receptacle may be some form of obnoxious gas, such as tear gas, the discharge of which will affect the burglar and prevent his escape.

For controlling the firing pin, the upper end thereof is bent in the form of a hook. As indicated at 21 the hook engages a securing member 22, which is preferably of stranded wire, its upper end being associated in suitable manner with material having a low heating point. The body l above the chamber extends into a narrow supporting neck which is provided with a bifurcatcd portion 23, the furcations of which receive therebeliween the securing member 22. The head 2e of the securing member, which is formed by the embedding of the strands thereof with the thermal responsive metal, is supported upon the upper surfaces of the furcations, the arrangement being such that upon the application of heat. the material of the head 24 will melt, thus releasing the securing member and also releasing the firing'pin. In this connection it is important to note that the securing member 22 is of stranded wire, otherwise a securement thereof with the thermal responsive metal is impracticable.

F or preventing accidental discharge of the device, a retaining wire 25 is provided, which is secured through an aperture in the extension of the body and extends to the securing member 22, whereby the member will be prevented from downward movement to release the firing pin. This construction provides for the escapement of the device loaded without danger of accidental discharge. Then the device is to be used, the retaining member 25 is, of course. removed. lVith this construction it will be seen that the device automatically operates as a lire alarm and tire extinguisher when the temperature has reached a predetermined point.

For manually releasing the firing pin, a cord 2G, as shown in Fig. l, is provided, which may extend over one or'more suitable pulleys, as indicated at 27, tohave the operatingend 28 in any desired position. The cord 2G surrounds the retaining member 22 adjacent the bifurcated portion 23, whereby the cord may exert a pull upon the retaining member to move it from between the furcat-ions, thus releasing the firing pin. This feature of the present invention may be used when the device is to be used as a tire extinguisher, or, as is more preferable, it is designed for use when an obnoxious gas is contained within the receptacle and it is used as a burglar alarm. Thus in banks or the like, the device may be mounted near the ceiling in front of the 'cashiers cage and the operating cord 26 may extend into the cage so that a pull thereon by the cashier will cause an explosion alarm and, at the same time, discharge gas upon any one attempting to burglarize.

In many instances it may be preferable to provide a separate alarm means operable with the discharge of the cartridge at a remote place. rifhis may be suitably accomplished by the attachment with the end 21 of the firing pin 1l, of a hook 30, which is connected with a cord or cable 3l and extends to a mechanical alarm bell 32. Upon downward. movement of the .firing pin, either in response to heat change or by manual operation of the cord 26, the hook 3() will move down carrying with it the cable 3l, which releases a conventional releasing dog 33 of the bell structure. The bell is preferably arranged to continue its alarm over a specific length of time, such as ten minutes, whereby the device provides for the remote control of an associated alarm apparatus.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the invention provides an alarm mechanism adapted to discharge material 'which may be used as a fire extinguisher or as a burglar alarm, or as a burglary prevention device. rangement of cables 26 and 3l may be in any suitable manner such as to facilitate the manual operation of the device or the control of the remotely positioned .alarm mechanism. It will thus be understood that'the invention is not specifically confined to the specific structural details herein presented, but that numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may beresorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

lhat is claimed is l. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, and means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said. casing will rupture said receptacle, said easing including a firing pin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge.

2. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receivin g casing, and means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a firing Vpin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further including a. spring means for urging` said pin toward said cartridge.

3. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a firing pin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further includin a spring means for urging said pin toward said cartridge, and releasable means Cil It will be understood that. the arfor retaining said pin against the tension of ysaid spring means.

4. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a firing pin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further including a spring means for urging said pin toward said cartridge, and releasable means for retaining said pin against the tension of said spring means, said releasable means including a retaining member releasably engaged by an extending portion of said casing.

5. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiviiig casing, means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a firing pin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further including spring means for urging said pin toward said cartridge, and releasable means for retaining said pin against the tension of said spring means, said releasable means including a retaining member releasably engaged by an extending portion of said casing, said casing including an upwardly-extending portion having a bifurcated extremity adapted to receive between the fu rcations thereof, said retaining member.

6. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a iiring pin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further including spring means for urging said pin toward said cartridge, and releasable means for retaining said pin against the tension of said spring means, said releasable means including a retaining member releasably engaged by an extending portion of said casing, said casing including an upwardly-extending portion having a bifurcated extremity adapted to receive between the furcations thereof, said retaining member, the upper end of said member being retained by said bifurcated portion by fusible construction.

7 In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosionv of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a firing pin arranged for movement therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further including spring means for: urging said pin toward said cartridge, releasable means for retaining said pin against the tension of said spring means', said releasable means including a retaining member releasably engaged by an extending portion of said casing, said casing including an upwardlyy a cartridge-receiving casing,fmeans for asso ciating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a iiring pin arranged for movementv therein to explode said cartridge, said casing further including spring means for urgingv said pin toward said cartridge, releasable means for retaining said pin against the tension of said spring means, said releasable means including a retaining member releasably engaged by an extending portion 'of said casing, said casing including an upwardly-extending portion having a bifurcated extremity adapted to receive between the furcations thereof, said retaining member, the upper end of said member being retained by said bifurcated portion by fusible construction, and manual means for releasing said 'retaining member from said furcations.

9. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including a firing in arranged for movement therein to explo e said cartridge, said casing further including spring means for urging said pin toward said cartridge, ieleasable means for retaining said pin against the tension of said spring means, said releasable means including a retaining member releasably engaged by an extending portion of said casing, said casing including an upwardly-extending portion having a bifurcated extremity adapted to receive between the furcations thereof, said retaining member, the upper end of said member beingretained by said bifurcated portion by fusible construction, manual means for releasing said retain ing member from said furcations, and means for operating a remotely positioned-alarm by movement of said firing pin.

10. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, and means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in saidcasing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including means therein for exploding said cartridge. f

11. In a device of the character described, a cartridge-receiving casing, and means for associating a receptacle with said casing, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in said casing will rupture said receptacle, said casing including movable means therein for ex.

ploding said cartridge.

12. In a device of the character described,

u Cartridge-receiving casing, and means for associating a receptacle with said casing', whereby the explosion of a Cartridge in 52nd casing will rupture said ieceptace, Said can ing including longitudinally` amiable means therein for exploding said cartridge.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 31st day of January, A. D. 1930.

DANIEL A. GXLLEN. 

